A new country music drama starring Trace Adkins has been bumped from its high-profile premiere date. Fox's Monarch was set to premiere on Jan. 30, right after the NFL's NFC Championship Game.

The reason for the Monarch delay is a familiar one: Fox cites the impact of COVID-19 in explaining the reschedule.

The Hollywood Reporter's report calls on sources who say that had the Jan. 30 launch been honored, there would have needed to be a broadcast interruption at some point, because filming in Atlanta is ongoing. The outlet also notes that production in Atlanta will continue as planned through the spring, and for its part, the network still says the show is a cornerstone of its 2022 slate of series'.

In addition to Adkins, Susan Sarandon and Anna Friel will star in Monarch — a show that follows the adventures and misgivings of a family thought of as country music royalty. The original release shared that the 60-year-old singer will play Albie Roman:

Texas Truthteller, reigning King of Country Music and husband of Dottie Cantrell Roman (Sarandon), known as the tough-as-nails Queen of Country Music, with whom he has helped create a country music dynasty.

Music from the show had begun to be released, as well. An Adkins cover of "A Country Boy Can Survive" by Hank Williams Jr. and a Caitlyn Smith-performed theme song called "The Card You Gamble" are early indications of a dynamic soundtrack, replete with originals and covers. In that sense, it was shaping up like the long-running TV show Nashville, which aired on ABC and CMT from 2012 to 2018.

The heavy promotion in recent months makes this delay very surprising. It also seems to have been a decision made quickly, as the show's own Twitter page still calls for a Jan. 30 start.

While several news outlets have reported the news, there has been no word from Adkins, Sarandon, or the show's Twitter feed.

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